2012 to be a busy year on Canadian political scene
Posted January 3, 2012 3:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, Ont. – Just three days into the New Year, Canadians are getting a good look at what issues will dominate the Canadian political scene in 2012.
One of the first big events will be the NDP leadership vote in March, which according to one political scientist, could make or break the party which is currently struggling with support.
“They are potentially in trouble if the leader doesn’t pan out in a way that can shore up some of that support, stop some of the bleeding,” political scientist Cheryl Collier told 680News.
While the Liberals don’t face a leadership vote until 2013, Canadians will soon find out who will be running for the top spot.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, will be focused on slashing spending to get the deficit in order, and many programs will have their budgets on the chopping block.
“This has been pretty much a mystery up ’til now, and it’ll be interesting to see where they decide to target and where they decide not to,” said Collier.
In addition, a lot of legislation still needs to be passed, including the Crime Omnibus Bill.
Outside the country, the focus will be on Syria, where problems are worsening. The federal government has placed several sanctions on the Middle Eastern country over recent months. Collier isn’t sure if this will lead to military action, but she believes Canada will follow the lead of the United States should they step in.
Canada saw a number of ups and downs in 2011, with a military mission in Libya, a historic election, and the death of NDP leader Jack Layton.
